Forgive Me My Sins Part II: Friends With Benefits
by stormy.grace
Summary: The 2nd installment in my FMMS series, prequel to Angel Baby. Saving people, hunting things, the family business. It doesn't just apply to monsters. Sometimes people need to be saved from other people, and that's exactly what Dean intends to do when a pretty girl in New Orleans steals his heart. Rated T for SVU type content.
1. Prologue

**I see you came back for part two. Yay! That makes me happy! Hopefully you'll enjoy the prologue enough to come back for the rest of the story, but before we get to that there are a couple of things I feel I need to address. Some disclaimers if you will. Now, I usually don't do that because obviously I don't own the shows and movies my fics are based on. Or at least you could probably make a pretty good guess that I don't, and you're right. I don't.**

 **I don't own the picture used for the cover art either. I'm not entirely sure who does (the copyright in the corner says cruz_zandus). No copyright infringement is intended. If you're not comfortable with my use of your photo please let me know, and I will happily take it down. Now, I don't really own any of the photos I use here, but this one has the little copyright thing in the corner, so I just wanted to put that out there this time.**

 **Also this story contains some abusive behavior/SVU type content. Mostly in chapter six. I'll give you a heads up at the beginning of each chapter so you can prepare yourself if that sort of thing bothers you in any way. Which brings me to my next point. IAHFY.**

 ** **I Am Here For You is a new campaign being launched over Fanfiction and social media for anyone that needs a helping hand. IAHFY is a safe haven for anyone that is going through tough times and situations and is in need of someone to open up to without fearing judgment. Anything said will remain completely confidential. Just look for the IAHFY logo in the profile picture (check my profile picture to know what you're looking for) and send us a PM. We will be happy to help you out with anything you need, from advice to just being someone to vent to. #IAHFY** **

**My dear sweet friend ArtistKurai and I are more than happy to help in any way we can, but keep in mind that we are NOT professionals. We're simply two people that know that sometimes you just need someone to listen. You can also find IAHFY on Facebook at I Am Here For You. We're not a very active page right now, but we are here. I also recommend WeAreSPNFamily on Facebook. I promise you will not feel unloved or unwanted there. It is the most amazing support group/family.**

 **And now that I've made all my disclaimers and PSAs we can continue with the story. The prologue's not very long, but the story itself is about twice as long as Angel Baby, so it won't be over quite as fast. Enjoy! ~SG**

 **P.S. Language warning! I don't usually drop S-bombs in my writing, but it felt necessary for the character and situation this time, and it's only in the prologue.**

Prologue

 _June 1, 2001_

"I can't believe you're moving in with him." Katie Newsome said as she followed her best friend up a flight of stairs at her new apartment complex, loaded down with groceries.

Wren shrugged. "It's not that big a deal."

"Oh, come on, Tammy." Katie said. "It's a huge deal!"

Wren smiled at the nickname. Katie called her Tammy because she had been named after Tammy Wynette. And because she liked to sing. It was one of many nicknames she answered to. Wren, Tammy, Angel, and Angel Baby being her favorites. Then there was babe, which was what her boyfriend Brad called her. He also called her sexy. She wasn't crazy about either one.

Actually, she wasn't all that crazy about Brad either, and Katie knew that.

The girls, both only children belonging to single parents, had been best friends since diapers. They were practically sisters. If their parents would only get married like they'd always dreamed of they would be sisters. Stepsisters, but it was close enough. But Wren's mother wasn't interested in getting married. She wasn't even interested in dating, which probably drove Katie's dad up a wall because he was clearly head over heels in love with her.

And he was so patient. It was the most romantic thing either of the girls had ever seen, and they were eagerly awaiting the day when Alexa would finally give in.

But sisters or not, because Wren and Katie had been so close for so long Katie knew something wasn't right about Wren's relationship with Brad. It was obvious that Brad wasn't right for her, and Katie couldn't understand why Wren was wasting her time with him. She suspected that Brad might be abusing Wren in some way, but she had no proof since she never saw any marks on her and Wren never said anything bad about their relationship. But something just felt off. There was no light shining in Wren's eyes when she talked about Brad. She knew when her friend was happy, and Brad was not making her happy. So, why was she staying with him? Why was she moving in with him?

"Katie, please." Wren said as she slid the key into the lock, exasperated with her friend's constant need to poke holes in her relationship. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Katie asked. "Don't point out the fact that you don't love him? I know you better than that, Wren. You can't fool me. Why did you agree to move in with him?"

"Because I wanted to, okay?" Wren snapped. "You don't have to be in love with a guy to move in with him."

They hardly ever fought. At least they hadn't until Brad. That was another sign that something was off, and Katie didn't like it at all.

Wren pushed the door open, and they were greeted by the sound of muffled grunts coming from somewhere in the apartment.

"What's that?" Katie asked as she set bags on the kitchen counter.

"I don't know, but it's coming from the bedroom." Wren said. "Brad? Is that you?"

"Shit."

Suddenly it dawned on her what he was doing, and she smiled as she walked toward the bedroom. "If you had waited just a little longer I'd have done that for you."

Her smiled faded as soon as she walked into the room. "Oh my god."

"Shit." Brad repeated. "Wren, I can explain."

"Who the hell is she?" the bottle blonde with the bad dye job and orange-tinted skin asked.

"She's his girlfriend." Wren shot back, glaring at the girl. "Actually, make that _ex_ -girlfriend. And you don't need to explain, Brad. It's pretty obvious what's going on here."

He got out of bed and was across the room before she could turn to leave, grabbing her arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Home." she said, pulling her arm free. "Goodbye Brad."

"You're not going anywhere." he said, grabbing her again.

His grip was tighter, rougher, but she was still able to pull away. "Oh, yes I am. Do you actually think I'm gonna stick around after finding you in bed with another girl? Because if you do you're crazy."

He didn't try to stop her again as she turned around and left, taking Katie with her.

"Do me a favor." she said when they got outside. "Don't say I told you so, but feel free to smack me next time I don't listen to you about a guy."

"Deal." Katie said, as they got into her car and headed back toward the Quarter.

 **Intrigued? Good. That's exactly what I was aiming for. See y'all tomorrow for more! Bye loves! ~SG**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hello again! Before we get to what you came for, let me warn you that there's a teeny tiny bit of Guy Who Can't Take No For An Answer in this chapter, but it's basically just and idiot being rude. No actual violence or roughness or anything. ~SG**

Chapter 1

 _June 8, 2001_

She wore a denim vest over a tight black crop top that pushed her boobs up, a pair of tight, flared jeans with a black leather belt threaded through the loops, and a pair of cowboy boots that peeked out from under the frayed hem of her jeans. There was a lot of skin exposed between the hem of her top and the waistband of her jeans that was actually nowhere near her waist, and her long hair, which was auburn on top and black underneath, was loose and curly, a little messy. She was pretty. Really pretty. Actually, Dean would call her hot. She looked like she had just stepped out of _Coyote Ugly_.

She was about his age, probably a senior in college or freshly graduated, and boy could she sing. He'd come into the bar for a beer after breaking up yet another fight between his father and brother, but he stayed to listen to her sing. The set she had just finished had included everything from Pat Benatar and Patsy Cline to Christina Aguilera and Shania Twain (He only knew because she said so). He'd been mesmerized by her version of LeAnn Rimes' version of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", and she was currently belting out a Faith Hill song that had something to do with Elvis. He wasn't really paying attention to the words. He was more focused on her.

His eyes were glued to her until she finished her set, and announced that she was taking requests for the next one. When he realized she was headed for the bar he was sitting at he cursed himself for feeling a little nervous about the idea of talking to her. _Get a grip, Winchester_ , he told himself as she worked her way through the crowd. He didn't get nervous around women.

Since she was taking requests he was thinking about asking her to sing "Hey Jude" for him. Partly as an excuse to talk to her, but also because he'd been thinking about his mom a lot lately. Sammy'd been asking questions about her again even though there wasn't anything new Dean could tell him.

He'd only had her for four years, and Sam was a senior in high school now. Dean had already told him everything he could remember more than once, but he never minded telling the stories again. It kept her alive in both of their memories.

The only open seat at the bar just happened to be the one beside him, and she slid onto it like it was made for her, ordered a rum and coke and a bottle of water before tossing a quick smile his way.

"Hi." he said, flashing her a friendly smile and offering his hand in greeting. "I'm Dean."

She smiled back and shook his hand. "Wren."

"That's an unusual name." he said as her drinks were delivered. He felt more like himself now that he was actually talking to her. "There a story behind it?"

She sipped her rum and coke, saving the water for when she was back on stage. "Not much of one. My mom named me after Tammy Wynette, but when I was little I couldn't say Wynette right. I said it with a R. Wrenette. So my mom just started calling me Wren."

"Aw." he said. "That's cute."

"Oh, I was adorable." she assured him.

He smiled. "I'm sure you were." He gestured toward the stage. "You're really knockin' it out of the park up there. I just came in for a beer. Wasn't plannin' on stayin' too long, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna leave before you finish singin'. I don't even know half the songs you're singin'. Probably more than half. I'm a classic rock kind of guy."

She smiled back. "I like a little bit of everything."

"I can tell."

"Anything in particular you wanna hear, Dean?" she asked, happy to sing it for him if she knew it.

She'd noticed him when he had come in just before she'd started her set. He was hard to miss. Tall and handsome, wearing a leather jacket in the middle of a New Orleans summer. Bad boy, she'd thought when she'd seen him. The kind of guy your parents wouldn't like. The kind of guy that was exactly her type. No strings, just fun. And oh, those green eyes. Now that she was looking at him close up she couldn't believe how green they were. She'd never seen eyes that color.

"You wouldn't happen to know "Hey Jude", would you?" he asked hopefully. "My mom used to sing it to me when I was little." He wasn't sure why he'd offered up that bit of information.

Wren smiled at the sentiment in his voice. "Sure I do. We've got two more sets tonight. I'll try to get it in there for you, but if not can you come back tomorrow night? I'll make sure it's in the first set just for you."

Dean grinned. "Well, don't I feel special. I'll definitely be back tomorrow night."

He was about to ask if she took tips because she sure as hell deserved them when some shaggy haired jerk rudely wedged himself between them, and practically demanded a beer from the bartender. The bartender motioned for him to wait a minute while he tended to another customer, and Dean cringed when he put his arm around Wren and "Hey baby"d her.

"Hey, Abercrombie." Dean said, noting that Wren didn't seem at all interested in this guy. "We were talking. You mind?"

"Sorry man." Shaggy said. "She's taken."

"Oh, no she's not." Wren said as she knocked his arm away. "We broke up, remember? Get lost Brad."

The bartender delivered his beer, but Brad didn't get lost.

"Oh, come on, babe." he said. "You're not still mad at me, are you?"

"Oh, no. Of course not." she said sarcastically. "You cheated on me, you ass. Of course I'm still mad. I'm pissed! I don't want anything to do with you."

But Brad wasn't taking no for an answer. He slipped his arm around her waist. "I screwed up. It won't happen again. I swear."

"Hey." Dean said, pushing the entitled jerk back and away from Wren. "She said she's not interested. Back off."

"You gonna make me?" Brad challenged.

Dean stood up, towering over the shorter man. "You don't wanna fight me, asshat. You'll end up in the hospital. Leave her alone. Don't make me tell you again."

Brad finally gave up and left the bar, making sure to let Wren know that her bodyguard wasn't going to be around forever. That may be true, but Dean was definitely going to make sure she got home safely tonight and tomorrow night. He couldn't be around forever, but no one was going to hurt her while he was.

"Please tell me _that's_ not the kind of guy you go for." he said as he sat back down.

" _That_ was a huge mistake." she said, and downed half of her rum and coke. "Actually, you're much more my type. Thanks for that, by the way."

Dean smiled, encouraged by her statement that he was her type. "Anytime. I can't stand to see a woman mistreated. Actually, I can't stand to see anyone mistreated. Except maybe Brad. He deserves to get his ass kicked."

"Hard." she agreed. "I don't know what I was thinking when I let him talk me into going out with him. And then I stayed with him long enough for him to cheat on me. The day I was supposed to move in with him."

"Clearly you kicked him to the curb." Dean said. "But what about the living situation?"

She took another sip. "Moved back home."

"Ouch."

"Nope." she shook her head. "My mom's my best friend."

"What about your dad?" he asked.

"Good question."

"Sorry."

She shrugged. "No big deal. It's always been just me and Mama. I mean, yeah I'm curious about my dad, but it's not like he's a deadbeat or anything. He loved my mom, but he had to leave."

"How come?" Dean asked, and realized he was prying. "Sorry. That's none of my business."

"It's okay." she assured him. "He was her teacher. My grandfather threatened to shoot him. And then call the cops."

"Well, yeah."

"It wasn't like that." she said. "They were in love. Both of them. No one was forced or anything. They were both willing participants. They just weren't quite careful enough, and here I am."

"But he was her teacher." Dean said, getting hung up on that detail just like everyone else did. "They had to have known that was wrong. He had to have known at least."

She smiled, understanding his reaction. She'd had the same one when she'd first found out. "He was also thirty-five and she was sixteen. None of it looked right, but you can't help who you fall in love with, Dean."

"The heart wants what the heart wants." he said. He could see her point, but still.

"Even if the brain says no." she added. "For instance I bet you're just passing through town, so I probably shouldn't have anything to do with you. You'll be here for a few days, and I'll never see you again. I'm not looking for anything long term, but why risk the possibility of getting attached? But here I am anyway."

He flashed her a smirk. "Does that mean I might get more than some conversation and a song out of you?"

"Maybe." she said, and downed the rest of her drink because her break was over. "If you play your cards right."

"Which cards do I play?" he called after her. He'd never wanted to play the right ones more in his life, but she just smiled at him and headed back toward the stage.

"I can't give you any hints." she called back. "Where's the fun in that?"

 **Did anyone else see those sparks? ~SG**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hello again! No warnings today. Just a little honest conversation and cute Wrenchester fluff. By the way, y'all have no idea how much I stressed out about figuring out that ship name. Enjoy! ~SG**

Chapter 2

Dean stayed the rest of the night. He didn't get to talk to Wren as much as he would like because other customers were constantly coming up and telling her how great she was, making requests, and asking for pictures so they could tell everyone they knew her when, but at least he didn't have to fend off any more jerks that couldn't understand that she wasn't interested. Brad had been the only one, and he was apparently long gone. But Dean wasn't about to leave her alone if he could help it because he was sure that creep wasn't going to stay gone long. He was one of those guys that saw women as his property, and Dean was afraid he was going to try to hurt Wren. So he intended to stay close by to protect her just in case.

As she was pulling on her jacket to leave he handed her a twenty dollar bill.

"What's this?" she asked, pulling her hair out of her jacket and staring at the folded bill between his index and middle fingers.

"You take tips, don't you?"

"Sure I do, but twenty bucks?" she said, looking up at him. "Come on, Dean. Isn't that a little much?"

"You're fresh outta college, living with her mom, and singing for tips in a bar on weekends." he said. "You seem to be perfectly happy with that, but there's no harm in taking the money and putting it toward paying off whatever student loans you have or buying a new dress or something."

"Yeah, but twenty?"

He smiled. "'Hey Jude' was worth every penny."

She smiled back and plucked the bill from his fingers. "Okay, but I have to split it with the band."

"Uh-uh." he said, taking the money back before she could drop it in the tip jar. "The band was great, but this is for you."

"Dean, I—"

"Take it, Wren." one of the band members said as he came up beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders. "He's right. You earned that twenty. There's plenty to go around in the tip jar, and none of us are under the impression that anyone comes in here to see us play. They come in for you and the booze. Besides, we all have steady day jobs. You don't, and you do so much for everyone else. You deserve that twenty. Take it."

She smiled. "Thanks Truck."

He smiled and hugged her goodnight. "You go on home and get some sleep, Tammy. You did good tonight."

She kissed his cheek and told him goodnight before taking the twenty back from Dean and tucking it away in her purse.

"I don't get a thank you too?" he asked, holding the door open for her.

She smiled as he put his arm around her shoulders. "The night's not over yet."

"I like you." he grinned.

Wren slipped her arm around his waist as they walked, allowing him to guide her to where he'd parked his car so he could drive her home. "Really? I couldn't tell."

She didn't feel completely comfortable about taking the entire twenty for herself no matter what Dean and Trucker said, but she hadn't felt like arguing with them. She made a promise to herself that it would toward something important. No way was she blowing it on a dress or some other trivial thing. Dean's suggestion of putting it toward paying off college was a much better option, and she decided as she slid into the front seat of Dean's car that that's exactly what she was going to do with it. It wouldn't make a big dent in her debt, but it would help.

%%%

"So, what's the deal with you and this Truck guy?" Dean asked curiously as he lay tangled in her sheets later that night. Her mother was out of town for something about the inn she managed, and apparently he had played his cards right.

Wren smiled and rolled over on her stomach, supporting herself on her elbows as he gently ran his hand over her back and leaned over to kiss her cheek. Her "dates" didn't usually end with cuddling and companionable conversation, but there was something different about Dean. She'd known it the second she started talking to him. Maybe the second he'd walked through the door. She already knew that this hook up was going to end in friendship.

"Trucker, actually." she corrected. "Or if you wanna get really technical his name is Paul. But he used to be a trucker so that's what everyone calls him. Why? Jealous?"

"No." Dean said. He had no reason to be jealous. "Just curious. You seemed pretty close."

"He owns the bar and plays in the band, and he and my mom have been friends for years." she continued. "I'm not really sure how they met, but he's been around as long as I can remember. He's the only man that's really ever been a part of my life."

"So sort of an uncle or surrogate father type thing?"

"Exactly." she said smiling. "He's already decided my kids are gonna call him Grandpa."

"I've got someone like that." Dean said, moving her hair so he could kiss her shoulder. "My Uncle Bobby. He's not really my uncle, but he's family."

She rolled back onto her back and brushed her fingers through his short blonde hair as he leaned over her, supporting his weight on his elbows so he didn't crush her. "It's just you and your dad and brother?"

He nodded, dipping his head to kiss her neck. "My mom died when Sam was just a baby, so it's just been the three of us most of my life. We travel a lot. It's all I've ever known, but Sammy wants something more...normal, you know?" He rolled off of her and lay on his back, wondering why it was so easy to open up to her. Maybe because she had a slightly abnormal life too. "Our life is rough on him. And he doesn't really get along very well with our dad."

"So you have to play peacemaker."

"Yeah." he said. "Way too often. And Dad's gone a lot, so I pretty much raised Sam. I think that's part of why they have so many problems. I'm Sam's parent more than Dad is, but Dad comes in when he gets home and just like that," He snapped his fingers. "He's in charge again, and I don't think Sammy really sees him as the parent, you know? I think that transition from me to Dad is hard for him."

"And that makes it hard for you." she guessed.

"Yeah, but what can I do about it?" he asked. "I can't change it. I wouldn't know how to even if I wanted to."

"Well," she said, rolling onto her side and sliding her hand across his chest as she settled her head on his shoulder. "You can always come back here if it gets to be too much. We'll figure out a place for you to stay, and Trucker'll put you to work. Or Mama will at the inn. You can come and listen to me sing every weekend, and drive me home, keep me safe from jerks like Brad. Maybe keep me from stupidly falling for the lies from jerks like Brad."

Dean smiled and covered the hand that was resting over his heart with his, lacing their fingers together. It was a nice idea, but it was never going to happen. He had an obligation to his family. "Maybe. I don't usually talk about this stuff with anyone. Why is it so easy to talk about it with you?"

"I'm a good listener." she said, and kissed his shoulder.

"That's not all you're good at." he said, rolling over on top of her again and making her laugh.

Yes, Wren thought as Dean kissed her, she was _very_ glad he'd walked into the bar tonight.

She was also glad that her mom was out of town for the weekend. Alexa knew that her daughter was sexually active, but out of respect for her mother and a desire for privacy Wren never brought her guys home with her. The only reason she had invited Dean in tonight was because the house was otherwise empty and his motel room wasn't exactly an option since he was sharing it with his family.

And he really did like him. There was something about him that just made her feel safe and protected. It was obvious that he genuinely cared about her, and wasn't just looking to get laid like most guys she met. He was interested in her, not just her body, and that wasn't something she was used to.

 **So much for Wren not getting attached. Oops. But really who can blame her? And I'm sorry I'm posting this so late in the day. I usually try to post earlier, but I've had a really stressful day. I almost didn't bother with posting at all, but then I would feel guilty and what if I forgot tomorrow too? Basically I didn't really feel like messing with it today, but I knew not posting would just add to my stress because I would feel like I was letting y'all down, so I didn't have much of a choice there. But we're all good now, right? You guys don't have to wonder why I didn't post, and I don't have to be all paranoid and crazy thinking you hate me for it. Because yes, that's how my brain works even though I know it's ridiculous. You should see what I'm going through with the laundry lately. Oy! But anyway. I'm gonna let y'all get back to your lives, and I'll just continue being crazy and wayward AF. Until tomorrow my loves. ~SG**


	4. Chapter 3

**Good morning my lovely readers! Why yes, I am feeling MUCH better today that I was yesterday. I can't figure out exactly why my voice sounds like Paige Matthews in my head right now, but I have a feeling it has to do with the fact that I've been watching so much Charmed lately. But other than that everything's peachy today so far. Not that sounding like Paige Matthews in my head is really any kind of problem. So, how are you? Oh. You want me to shut up and let you read, right? Sorry. Carry on. ~SG**

Chapter 3

"Where's my necklace?" Dean asked the next morning, glancing around the room.

They'd worn themselves out, and he'd spent the night with her, unable to stop the smile when he'd woken up this morning with his arms around her. What the hell was she doing to him? He was pretty sure he wasn't falling in love with her, but this was definitely more than lust and a one-night stand. He may never see her again, but he'd want to. If only to talk to her. She was easy to talk to, easy to open up to. If he wasn't careful he'd get too comfortable and tell her everything.

Friendship. It suddenly occurred to him that that's what this was, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. He'd never really had a friend before. His life hadn't allowed for it.

He had slipped out of her bed and taken a shower while she slept, hoping she didn't mind, and was now dressed and digging around in her bed for his necklace while she took a quick shower.

"I don't know!" she called back through the open bathroom door, her voice carrying down the hall and into the bedroom. "Did you take it off last night?"

"Apparently." He couldn't remember taking it off. He never took it off.

The water shut off. "It's probably caught up in the covers or something!"

He tore her bed apart looking for it while she finished up her shower and got dressed, shaking out the comforter, both sheets, and searching inside the pillow cases just in case. Nothing. He looked under the mattress, under the bed. Nothing. He shook out the clothes he'd taken off of her last night. Nothing.

"Where the hell is it?" he demanded, beginning to panic. "Do you have a pet or something that might've dragged it off somewhere?"

"No." she said. "It's gotta be here somewhere though. We'll find it. It probably just got knocked up underneath something. Or maybe it fell off or something before we got in here. You had it on at the bar last night."

"I always have it on." he said. "I never take it off. Sam gave me that necklace as a Christmas present years ago. It's the only thing I own that I care about other than my car."

"Dean." she said, putting her hand on his chest and feeling his pounding heart. He was practically terrified that he would never see his necklace again. "Try to calm down. I know it's not just a necklace, but we'll find it. I promise. There's a lost and found at the bar, and I'll tear this house apart. It could be out on the sidewalk or in the yard somewhere. Or in your car. It's got to be somewhere. We just have to look for it. We'll find it."

He believed she would tear up the actual sidewalk for him if she had to if the look on her face was anything to go by, but that didn't make him feel any better. "I feel naked without it."

"Here." she said, removing a bracelet from her wrist. "You can wear this until we find your necklace."

Dean frowned at the bracelet with the little peace sign charm on it. "Why?"

"Because this bracelet is just as special to me as your necklace is to you." she said as she fastened it around his wrist. "It was my dad's. He gave it to my mom the first time he told her he loved her, and she gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday. I only take it off when I have to. I know it's not the same, but maybe it'll help. At least a little."

He nodded, touched by the gesture. "Yeah. Maybe."

They spent a good part of the day searching her house, his car, and all the way back to the bar. Trucker happily let them search the bar and dig through the lost and found box, but his necklace never turned up.

"You can't file a missing persons report for a necklace can you?" Dean asked dejectedly as he set the box on the bar after they'd put everything back in it.

"You could try." Trucker said as he dried glasses. "But they'd probably send you for a psych eval. It's just a necklace. It's not a person."

"It's not just a necklace." Wren said, correcting Trucker and trying to comfort Dean by rubbing his back a little. "We'll keep looking."

"We looked everywhere." Dean said.

"It's still got to be somewhere." she insisted. "Things don't just disappear. As far as I know there aren't any black holes or Bermuda Triangles in New Orleans. And we can't file a missing persons report, but we can put up fliers."

Dean looked amused by the idea. "Like Missing Dog fliers?"

"Yep." she said. "You got a picture of your Samulet?"

"My what?"

"Your necklace, Dean."

"Uh, yeah. I think so." He pulled out his wallet and found a picture of him and Sam. He handed her the picture. "I'm gonna need that back."

"Don't worry." She assured him. "Your necklace may have grown legs and walked away, but I promise you'll get your picture back safe and sound tonight. Now, you go do whatever you need to do today and try not to freak out too much, and I'm gonna go make up some fliers. If it's not too late by the time I get done I'll start putting them up today. If it takes too long we'll hand 'em out here tonight and I'll put some up around town tomorrow. I won't rest until you have your necklace back, Dean. Even if you have to leave before we find it. I'll mail it to you or something."

Dean smiled, touched by her dedication to the cause. "You're good in a crisis, aren't you?"

"Always has been." Trucker said. "Nothing shakes this girl. She's a Chevy."

"Huh?" Dean asked, confused.

Wren smiled. "Like a rock."

"Nice." Dean said, smiling. "Well, I'd better get back to the motel before my dad sends out a search party."

She walked him to his car and kissed his cheek. "See you tonight."

"Yep." he confirmed even though she wasn't asking. He noticed her rubbing her wrist and felt guilty. "Are you sure you don't mind me taking your bracelet?"

She smiled. "Is it making you feel any better?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Then I don't mind at all."

He gave her one last quick kiss just because and left her on the sidewalk, hoping she would be safe from Brad until he could get back to her tonight.

%%%

"Where have you been?" John demanded when Dean finally wandered back into the motel room. He sounded angry, but he looked worried.

"Probably with a girl." Sam said.

"Shut up, Sam." Dean replied, his words a little harsher than he meant, and then explained the situation. "I was with a girl, but I didn't mean to be gone so long. I lost my necklace somewhere between driving her home from the bar last night and waking up this morning. We were trying to find it."

"We're here for a job, Dean." John reminded him.

Dean knew he was supposed to save the fun for after the job, but this was different. "It's not like that, Dad. I went out for one beer, and I met her at the bar. We were just talking, and her ex-boyfriend started harassing her. I scared him off, but he threatened her, so I wanted to make sure she got home safe. I didn't mean to spend the whole night with her, and I definitely didn't mean to spend the whole morning with her. It just kind of happened."

"Yeah right, Dean." Sam snarked. " _You_ didn't mean to spend the whole night with a girl?"

She wasn't just any girl, and the way Sam said it made it sound like she was just a random hook up. Technically she was, but she wasn't and Dean took offense even though he knew his little brother didn't know any better. "Shut up, Sammy. It wasn't like that."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Please. You hit on anything female. How was it not like that?"

"I didn't hit on her." Dean argued. "I talked to her. And yeah, maybe I did wanna hook up with her, but not until after the job. Like always. Last night just happened. I didn't mean for it to, but it did. Don't look at me like that, Sam."

Sam grinned and went back to his book.

"This girl's not gonna distract you from the job, is she?" John asked.

"No." Dean said firmly. "But, and don't get mad at me because I'm only doing what you raised me to do—"

"But what, Dean?"

"I promised her I'd go back to the bar tonight." he said almost sheepishly. He knew his dad wasn't going to like it, but on this he willing to fight. "She sings there on weekends so she'll be there all night, and her ex made a point of reminding her that I wouldn't be around to protect her forever last night. This guy gave me a bad feeling, Dad. I'm afraid he might try to hurt her."

"Okay." John said.

"What?" Sam asked, his head popping up in shock. "You're letting him weasel out of a hunt to hang out with some girl?"

"She's not just some girl." Dean argued, defending Wren.

"He's not weaseling out of anything." John said. "If he feels this girl may be in danger I'd rather have him there with her. Human's can be a lot more dangerous than monsters because they're unpredictable, and you and I can handle things fine this time with out him."

"Yeah." Dean said. "It's just a werewolf, Sammy. Easy job. You and Dad can handle it. Wren needs me."

"She needs you?" Sam repeated doubtfully. "She sings in a bar, Dean. She can't be completely helpless."

"She's not." Dean agreed. "But tell me you wouldn't do the same thing if you were in my shoes. That guy threatened her, Sammy. Right in front of my face. I can't ignore that."

"Of course I would." Sam agreed. "I just think there's more going on here than you just wanting to make sure some random girl gets home safe."

Dean glared at his brother for a long time before he finally broke. "I like her, okay? Happy now? Bitch."

Sam grinned. "Jerk."

John rolled his eyes at his sons. "I'm gonna go talk to the cops. See if I can't learn anything more about this wolf. You two stay out of trouble."

Dean threw himself on his bed, immediately wishing he was back in Wren's. It was much more comfortable. "I need a nap."

"Didn't get enough sleep last night?" Sam teased.

"Shut up, Sam." Dean replied, his voice muffled by his pillow as he closed his eyes and let his mind drift to Wren.

Sam noticed the bracelet on his brother's arm, but didn't ask about it. He had a feeling it was connected to this girl, and she was apparently a touchy subject. So he went back to his book and wished that he could've been the one to meet a girl that needed protecting so he could get out of hunting another werewolf. Dean didn't know how lucky he was.

 **I think it's safe to say there's a cupid in the Quarter. Aren't our little love birds just so adorable? Even if they don't realize they're little love birds yet. But really Dean, how can you not see it? She is a Chevy after all. And while I've got your attention can I ask you something? Just out of curiosity since I haven't been getting many reviews on this series. How are we liking it? I mean, I assume you like it because you keep coming back for more, but I miss the interaction. And by the way, now I have Phoebe in my head. But that's completely irrelevant. And I've kept you long enough. I can't decide whether to go with a Shakespeare reference here or a Von Trapp reference for today's farewell. So I'll let you choose instead (insert farewell reference here). ~SG**


	5. Chapter 4

**Okay. So, here's what happened. Yesterday morning I edited this chapter, and made it all pretty for y'all, but I just was not in the mood to come up with a cute AN. I didn't want to subject y'all to a grumpy AN, so I decided to put it off a little until I was in a better mood. And then I took a nap and went grocery shopping, and I completely forgot about posting. I sorry. But maybe I'll post an extra chapter today to make up for it. I say maybe because I'm currently not feeling any more chipper than I did yesterday morning, and don't feel up to editing another chapter. But the day is young, so we'll see how I feel later. But anyway, here's the chapter you were supposed to get yesterday, and this one does come with a possible trigger warning. Brad's back. Beware. ~SG**

Chapter 4

After printing and posting fliers around the Quarter Wren headed home to get ready for her show, already putting a little extra thought into what she wanted to wear because Dean was going to be there. So what if she had a little crush on him? It's not like he was sticking around much longer, so it wouldn't be a problem.

"Where's your bodyguard?" Brad asked, leaning casually against the fence that surrounded the front yard of the house Wren had grown up in.

"Seriously?" she replied. "You're stalking me now? Here's an idea. Why don't you go jump in the river? Make sure to take a deep breath. After you hit the water."

"Oh, come _on_ , Wren." Brad said. "It was one time. It shouldn't have happened, and I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again."

"Gee," she said as she unlocked the front door. "Why don't I believe that? Oh yeah. Maybe because I don't trust you. I suggest you leave before I call the cops."

He grabbed her arm roughly, making her drop her keys and cry out in pain because his grip was so tight on her arm.

"I said I'm sorry." he growled, jerking her off the porch. "Why can't you just forgive me?"

"I do forgive you, Brad." she said, trying to pull free. "I forgive you for cheating on me, and I forgive myself for ever thinking you were worth going out with in the first place. But just because I forgive you doesn't mean I trust you."

"Don't you believe in second chances?" he asked, his grip tightening on her arm.

"Of course I do. But I don't think you deserve one. I'm a great judge of character, and I slipped up once with you, but I won't do it again. Now, let me go, or I swear I'll scream bloody murder."

He laughed it off. "Like anyone's gonna come running to save you."

"That's where you're wrong, dumbass." she said. "People actually like me."

He jerked her toward him and pressed his mouth forcefully against hers. She finally managed to break free of his grasp and shoved him away, turning and running into the house as he tripped over his own two feet and landed hard on the sidewalk. She locked the door behind her, and ran to the wall phone in the kitchen to call Trucker, but someone knocked on the door.

She was afraid it might be Brad, but when she looked out the window she saw Katie instead. Relief washed over her, but she pulled Katie inside and shut and locked the door before her friend could even smile in greeting.

"Okay." Katie said. "I'm not gonna ask what's going on because I saw what just happened. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Wren said. "A little shaken, and I'll probably have a bruise later, but all he really did was scare me."

Katie pulled her into a hug. "We should call the cops."

"Why?" Wren asked. "I don't think they can't throw him in jail for grabbing me one time. And even if they can he won't stay long."

"So, you're just gonna wait until he does something worse?" Katie asked. "Until he really hurts you?"

"I don't have much of a choice." Wren said. "And I'm safe for tonight."

"How do you know that?"

"What's he gonna try in a crowded bar?" Wren asked. "And I'll have Dean with me. I'm about to call Trucker to come pick me up so I won't have to walk."

"I'm staying with you until he gets here." Katie said. "But what are you gonna do when Dean leaves? You said he was just passing through with his family for a little while."

Wren shrugged. "I guess I'll worry about it then. Right now I've gotta worry about getting ready."

"Okay." Katie said and followed her friend down the hall to help her get ready.

%%% 

Wren was almost ready to go when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Katie said.

"Why is he even ringing the bell in the first place?" Wren asked. Trucker was family. He didn't need to ring the bell.

"Maybe because you locked the door when you dragged me inside like you were kidnapping me." Katie reminded her.

Wren paused. "Oh. Right. Well, go let him in."

Katie rolled her eyes at her friend and headed downstairs.

"You're not my dad." she said when she opened the door and found a man she'd never seen before.

"I'm Dean." he said, smiling. "Trucker asked me to pick Wren up."

"I guess business picked up a little early tonight." Katie said, smiling at him. "I'm Katie. Trucker's daughter, and Wren's best friend. I've heard wonderful things about you, Dean."

He felt his cheeks heat with a slight blush. Wren hadn't known him long enough to know a lot about him. He'd opened up to her last night more than he ever had with anyone, but he didn't think she had passed any of that along to her pretty blonde friend. That meant she'd told her about last night's other activities, which had apparently gotten rave reviews.

"She's upstairs." Katie said, smiling at his slightly embarrassed expression as he realized what Wren had told her about. How cute. "She'll be down in a minute."

"Is she okay?" he asked.

Even cuter that he clearly cared a lot about Wren after only knowing her for less than twenty-four hours. "She's got a bruise on her arm where he grabbed her, but she's okay. Physically anyway. That little weasel really scared her today. She dragged me in here like we were hiding from a monster when I got here, and she never would've called my dad to come get her if wasn't scared. I've never seen her scared before, Dean. Not like this. And I'm afraid he's actually gonna hurt her if someone doesn't do something, but there's not really anything we can do unless he does hurt her."

"Well, I'm not gonna let him hurt her as long as I'm here." Dean promised.

"And how long are you gonna be here?" Katie asked.

"Not long." Dean admitted. "But she's safe while I am."

"Good."

"So, you're Trucker's daughter." Dean said awkwardly. He sucked at small talk.

Katie smiled. "Technically I'm his niece. My parents died when I was little, so he and my aunt adopted me. Then my aunt left, and it's been the two of us ever since."

"That's rough."

She shrugged. "It's not so bad. We've got Wren and Alexa. And I've got Noah, my fiance. He's at sea right now, but he'll be home soon enough."

"Before the baby comes?" he asked, glancing down at the gentle swell of her belly.

Katie laid her hand on her belly and smiled. "No, unfortunately. He or she was unplanned. But I've got Wren to fill in while Noah's gone."

"You two are really close, aren't you?"

"We're sisters." Wren said as she came into the living room.

"Wow." Dean said. "You look great."

She wore a black tank top with fringe dripping down the front, a pair of hip-hugging jeans with a studded belt, and black boots. A leather wristband covered most of the bruise that had formed on her wrist, and her hair was loose and curly. Dean wanted to wrap one of those curls around his finger and kiss her as she twirled around when she reached the bottom of the steps, fringe and curls flying out around her.

"Thanks." she said, smiling at him.

With the way they were looking at each other and what she had heard about last night Katie thought it was too bad that Dean couldn't stay. She could already tell that they fit well together, and they clearly liked each other. Even if a romantic relationship didn't work out they would be great friends, and they would be good for each other. At least he would be good for her. He already was.

"What are you naming my niece?" Wren asked as they walked out the door and she locked the house up.

"Or nephew." Katie said. "We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet."

"It's a girl." Wren said.

"How do you know?"

"Because I said so." Wren said and rubbed Katie's belly. "You're a girl, right Hensley?"

"Okay, you don't get to name my kid." Katie objected.

"Oh please." Wren said. "You're gonna name her after me anyway."

"Maybe." Katie said. "If it's a girl."

"It's a girl." Wren said as Dean opened the car door for her. "And her name's Hensley."

They argued about it all the way to the bar, but it was playful, and Dean couldn't help but grin the entire time. They were entertaining.

"If you had a daughter what would you name her, Dean?" Katie asked as he parked the car.

"That's probably the last thing on my mind." he said.

"Oh, come on." Wren said. "Just play along. All you have to do is throw out a name. It's not like you're signing a contract or anything."

"Tabitha." he said.

"Watching a lot of _Bewitched_ lately?" Wren teased.

"Maybe."

She smiled as she climbed out of the Impala. "Tabitha Winchester. That's pretty!"

"Yeah." Katie agreed. "You should keep it in mind for if you ever do have a daughter."

"I bet you'd make a great dad." Wren said.

"Oh look!" Dean said, pointing across the street. "A bar full of people waiting to hear you sing!"

"Aw," Katie said. "I think we embarrassed him."

"Aw." Wren echoed, reaching up to pinch his cheek as they crossed the street. "He's so cute!"

"See, this is why I'm glad I don't have sisters."

"We're not always like this." Katie assured him.

"Only when we're together." Wren confirmed.

"Why do I have a feeling you're always together?" Dean asked as he held the door open for them, his supposition confirmed when they both burst into giggles. "This is gonna be a long night."

 **So...forgive me for slipping up yesterday? Yes? Good! You get a hug. Consider yourself hugged. Now, show of hands. Who else wants to squash Brad like a bug? Aside from Dean and Katie. And I'm sure Wren wouldn't be opposed to the idea either. But don't worry. The little weasel gets what's coming to him. No, I won't tell you when or how, but it's coming. Anyway, I'll either see y'all later today or tomorrow. Hopefully. No promises. We'll see what happens. Either way, you may now continue on with your lives. ~SG**


	6. Chapter 5

**I know, I know. I missed another day. You wanna know why? Cookies and books. So many books. I baked my first batch of cookies from scratch, and I think we only have one cookie sheet, so the actual baking of the cookies took about twice as long as it should have. And then my grandpa had the bright idea to take in fifteen boxes of wayward books one of his friends was planning to donate to the library. So, of course I had to spend a couple of hours sorting through them, and well...here we are. So how about some more cute Wrenchester? ~SG**

Chapter 5

Brad was there, hanging out in the back of the bar. They ignored him as they came in, and Dean and Katie found a table near the stage while Wren climbed up to sing. Neither one of them ordered a drink. Katie was pregnant, and Dean didn't want anything clouding his judgment tonight. He may be enjoying his new friend's concert instead of hunting a monster, but he was still on the job. Brad was a threat, and he wasn't about to let him get anywhere near Wren. He'd made her let him look at the bruise on her arm before they left the house, and he wanted to put the little jerk's head through a wall just for that. Unfortunately he couldn't throw the first punch because then he'd be the one in trouble for starting a fight, but that didn't stop him from hoping Brad gave him even the slightest excuse.

"Before I start singing, I want to make a quick announcement." Wren said when she had the audience's attention.

Dean was suddenly wary. He'd already learned that she was a spitfire, and there was no telling what she was about to announce to the crowd. He glanced at Katie, and she seemed amused. Apparently she had some idea of what Wren was about to say.

Either that or she had no clue, and was amused because she knew what kind of announcements her friends _might_ make to a bar full of people.

"My friend lost a necklace somewhere around here last night, and it's very special to him." Wren said.

"Oh geez." Dean groaned. He wasn't sure if he admired her determination to find his necklace, or was embarrassed that she was calling attention to him even though she hadn't pointed him out.

"Oh, chill." Katie said as Wren explained about the fliers and asked everyone to please keep an eye out for the necklace. "She's just trying to help."

"I know." Dean said. "It's sweet, but it's kinda weird."

"Well, it's Wren." Katie said. "Surely you've noticed by now that _she's_ kinda weird."

"Yeah." he said. And it was adorable.

"So, if you find it please bring it in, and we'll make sure it gets home." Wren finished. She thanked her audience and started the show.

Dean was relieved she hadn't actually introduced him to the entire audience. He wouldn't have put it passed her to pull him up on stage. And she still might.

Brad hung around the whole night. Dean kept an eye on him, but Wren was perfectly calm up on stage. Or at least she appeared that way. When she joined them between sets Dean could practically feel how shaken up she was just having Brad in the same building after what had happened this afternoon.

When Katie got up to go to the bathroom Dean told Wren that she could go with him when he and his family left town. He knew his dad wouldn't be crazy about bringing anyone else in on the family secret, but he thought Wren could handle knowing what they did if she had to, and at least she'd be away from Brad. But she wouldn't go for it.

She smiled at him, placing her hand on his arm. "That's sweet of you, Dean, and I appreciate the offer, but I can't. This is my home. My family's here. My whole life is here. I'm not gonna let him run me out of my town. I was here first."

"Yeah, but—"

"Dean." she said, cutting him off. "Thank you for caring about me so much, and taking care of me this weekend. I love you for it, but I am _not_ running away. I'll kick his sorry ass all the way back to Alabama if I have to."

"Okay." he said, giving up. "But the offer stands."

She smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

"Did you just say you love me?" he asked. "That's great and all, but don't you think it's a little soon? I mean, you barely know me. I could be some kind of freak."

She smiled again, laughing as he teased her. "What's a girl supposed to do when a handsome guy shows up and rescues her from her own stupidity. I mean, your face alone is more than enough reason for a girl to lose her balance."

He slipped his arm around her and smirked. "You like my face?"

"So far I like everything about you." She said. "You are going to make some girl very happy some day, and it's a _very_ nice face."

He smiled. He wanted to kiss her, but they were in the middle of a crowded bar, and while he was fairly confident with flirting in public he wasn't so comfortable with making out in public. Especially in this situation. First of all he had only known Wren for a very short amount of time, and while that wouldn't necessarily matter much with other girls, there was something about her that demanded a little more respect. Not to mention it might piss off Brad, which would probably only make things worse for Wren.

%%%

She sang "Hey Jude" for him again, and this time she didn't argue the tip he gave her because it came in the form of a kiss at the end of the night.

"I like that better than the twenty you gave me last night." she said.

"You can spend the twenty."

"Yeah, and it'll definitely help some with the bills, but I can keep the kiss forever."

Dean smiled. "You ready to head home?"

"No." she said. "I'm ready to go get something to eat. I'm hungry."

"Are you asking me out?" he teased.

"If by asking you out you mean demanding you take me somewhere that serves food because I don't want to cook my own dinner tonight." she said. "And I'm offering to pay for your meal."

"It's a date." he said. He didn't feel quite right about letting her pay for his meal since she was surely tight on cash too, but he didn't think she'd let him talk her out of it. "Where are we going?"

They ended up in the kitchen of her mother's inn, where she scored them a free meal because the chef was practically family, and Dean was more than happy with his Cajun style cheeseburger.

%%%

"What's that?" she asked when he pulled a bag out of the backseat and followed her toward the house.

"I'm not leaving you here by yourself tonight." he said.

She couldn't help but smile. "Careful, Dean. Keep this up and I might just have to fall in love with you."

He grinned. "I think I can handle that. I mean, if I had to."

"Come on, Romeo."

Dean spent the better part of a week with her before John and Sam finally killed the werewolf and found their next case.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Dean asked. He really didn't want to leave her, and was hoping she would give him a reason to stay.

Wren smiled. "Brad hasn't caused any trouble since he grabbed me last Saturday, and if he does I'll just call the cops. You go on. I'll be fine. Just promise me you'll come back and see me sometime."

"First chance I get." he promised.

"And I'm sorry we haven't found your necklace yet, but I'm not giving up." she said.

"You've got my number." Dean reminded her. "Call me if you do find it, or if Brad starts making trouble again."

"What if I just want to say hi?" she asked.

He smiled. "That's fine too."

She smiled back and rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek. She wanted to give him a real kiss, but his brother was sitting in the car, and she didn't want to embarrass Dean. "Take care of yourself, Dean."

"You too." he said and hugged her, still hoping she might ask him to stay. "I'd better get going. Oh! You're bracelet."

"Keep it." she said.

"Are you sure?"

Wren nodded. "I'm sure. Go on."

He gave her another hug and she watched him drive away.

"Now, why did you let him go?" Alexa asked as she put her arm around her daughter. "I know you didn't want him to."

She had been surprised to find her daughter basically playing house with a young man she had never seen before, but it was obvious to her that Dean made Wren happy. The only problem was that she knew what could happen if you fell for a man that couldn't stay, and she didn't want her only child spending the rest of her life like she had, pinning for a man that couldn't, or wouldn't, come back.

She knew her daughter well enough to know that the look on her face meant that she was headed that way whether they liked it or not, and the look on Dean's face had clearly told her that he wasn't all that crazy about having to leave.

"It's complicated." Wren said. She wanted Dean to stay, but she knew asking him to would only be postponing the inevitable. No matter how much he might want to stay and protect her, she knew he wouldn't stay with her for long. Eventually he would go back to his family.

"You still could've told him you didn't want him to leave." Alexa insisted.

"He'll be back." Wren said confidentially before going inside.

She had a necklace to find to make sure he had a reason to come back.

 **Feels anyone? Aren't they cute? And now I have to go eat some of those yummy cookies, and convince myself to work up the energy to go get my head x-rayed. Whoo fun. And just a heads up, there's a very high likelihood that I will sleep all day tomorrow. I'll try to get the next chapter to you, but I can't make any promises. I did too much yesterday, and I'm only doing anything today because I really need to stop putting it off. So I'll see y'all tomorrow. Maybe. But probably not. ~SG**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hi guys! Long time, no see. Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I simply haven't felt up to it lately, which is actually a good thing because I ended up having to rewrite about half of it, but here it is now. Better late than never, right? ~SG**

 **WARNING! The following chapter contains content that may not be suitable for some readers. Aka sexual violence.**

Chapter 6

After Dean was gone he was pretty much all Wren cared to think about. She'd had a few relationships over the years, but not many, and none of them made her feel the way Dean had. She knew without a doubt that she was falling in love with him, and she didn't want to be in love with him because she knew she'd never be able to make him stay. He was too committed to his family, and he simply wasn't the staying type. She'd sensed that about him right off the bat, which is why she had known it was a bad idea to get involved with him. And yet here she was, falling in love with a guy that she could probably never have all because he'd simply wanted to make sure she was safe.

She hadn't asked him to keep her safe, and he hadn't done it because he thought he could get something out of it. He was just a really nice guy that had met a girl in a bar, and wanted to make sure her entitled and slightly abusive ex-boyfriend didn't hurt her. And that meant the world to her.

Trucker was pretty much the only man in her life. She had never met her father because he had been forced to leave, she had never met her grandfather because her mother had run away from home after her parents had tried to make her give Wren up for adoption, and Katie's fiance was in the Navy so he wasn't around much. She didn't have any male friends, and most guys that wanted to date her only wanted to date her because they wanted to have sex with her. Technically she could count the guys in the band, but she never really spent any time with them outside the bar so she didn't count them. And then there was Brad.

She really had no idea what she'd seen in him. Sure he was hot and had money, but he was all too aware of those qualities. He had a tendency to be rude, not caring who he insulted as long as he got what he wanted, and treated her as if she were nothing more than a sex toy. She knew better, but for some reason she'd let him convince her that he was right. For some reason she'd wanted him to like her so she'd catered to his every whim, and ignored the concerns of her family until she caught him in bed with some other girl. And even that she might have let slide if he hadn't been so rough with her when she'd tried to leave. But instead of convincing her to stay he had only shown her that he could be physically abusive as well as disrespectful and psychologically abusive, and that was something she simply couldn't tolerate.

And then he had grabbed her that day outside her house, and it hadn't been because he was hurt over the break up. He was angry, and the look she had seen in his eyes had scared her. And she didn't scare easy, so she was glad Dean had been there to keep her safe. But it was more than that.

Dean had been a breath of fresh air. He had opened up to her about things she suspected he had never talked about with anyone else, and he hadn't cared about when he would be able to get her to bed. He cared about her.

And that's why she was so determined to find his necklace. The fact that he would probably have to come back to get it was just a bonus. Yes, she wanted to see him again and spend some more time with him, but her determination stemmed from the fact that she knew what that necklace meant to him. He said he could live without it, but she was going to make sure he didn't have to.

The Winchesters had left town a week ago, and she hadn't given up her search yet. She'd been over the entire house again and traced their path back to the bar, searching every inch of sidewalk for any sign of the gold amulet. She'd posted fliers all over town, made several announcements every night she sang at the bar, and even walked up to people and asked them point blank if they had any idea what had happened to it. It hadn't turned up yet, and no one could give her any information. She was beginning to feel a little discouraged, but she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"Why are you so intent on finding this necklace, Angel?" Trucker asked as he dried glasses on Sunday night after closing.

Wren was wiping down tables like she did almost every night, and she paused to pull her hair up into a ponytail because it kept getting in her face. "Dean told me not to worry about it, but I can't help it. He was so good to me while he was here, and I just can't stand the thought of him having to live without his most prized possession. His brother gave him that necklace, and I'm gonna make sure he gets it back. Besides, I want my bracelet back."

"Well, you know you may never find it, right?" Trucker asked. "Someone probably found it out on the sidewalk and took it home."

"I don't care if I have to look for it until the day I die." she said. "I'm not giving up. There's no telling what Brad would've done to me if Dean hadn't been here. The least I can do is try to get his necklace back for him."

Trucker smiled softly. "I hope he knows how lucky he is to have a friend like you."

"I'm not that great." she said and went back to wiping down tables.

"You are that great." Trucker argued. "You worked your butt off in school, you help me out around here, you help your mom out around the inn and the house, you make sure Katie gets to all her doctor appointments while Noah's gone, you volunteer everywhere you can, and you've become a one-woman crusade to find a necklace for a guy you might never see again. You are an amazing young woman, Wynette Monroe, and that Winchester kid is damn lucky to have met you. We all are."

Wren smiled at him. "Thanks Trucker. I'm gonna let that Wynette comment slide because I love you so much."

"I don't understand why you hate Wynette so much." Trucker said. "It's a pretty name."

"Do I look like a Wynette to you?"

"No, you look like a Tammy."

She threw her rag at him, only missing him because he ducked just in time. "I don't hate Wynette. I just prefer Wren. It suits my personality better. And I'm finished with the tables, so unless you need help with anything else I'm headed home."

"Why don't you hang around a little longer and let me drive you?"

Wren smiled, grateful for his concern, but turned down the offer. "I'll be okay, Trucker. I haven't heard a peep out of Brad since he grabbed me. Besides Dean taught me some self defense, and I have pepper spray in my purse."

"Well, at least call me when you get home." Trucker requested. "Let me know you're safe."

"Deal." she agreed, and headed for the door. "Night Trucker. Love you."

"Love you too. Be safe." He called after her as she stepped out into the muggy night air.

There were plenty of people still out and about in the Quarter, so Wren felt safe enough walking home by herself until someone grabbed her and dragged her into an alley. She remembered what Dean had taught her and tried to fight, but a hand covered her mouth and nose with some kind of cloth, and she was seconds away from fading into unconsciousness when she realized the rag had been soaked in chloroform. She continued to struggle until everything went black, and woke up sometime later in a room she recognized as Brad's.

She tried to get up, and realized that her hands and feet were tied to the bed. When she tried to scream she discovered that he had taped her mouth shut as well. It was pretty obvious what he intended to do, and he had made sure she had no way to escape or even try to fight back. The last traces of grogginess from being knocked out were quickly replaced by fear and she wished she could go back in time and either ask Dean to stay or go with him as she began to cry. She'd been stupid to let him leave for more than one reason.

"Oh, good. You're awake." Brad said as he appeared in the doorway with a pair of scissors in his hand, a sick smile on his face. "Why don't we get those clothes off, and have a little fun?"

Her screams and cries were muffled by the tape, and he slapped her more than once to shut her up, but she didn't. She continued to scream and struggle against him as much as possible even though she couldn't do anything to save herself as he cut her clothes off. After he tossed the destroyed garments aside he raped her, and all she could do was close her eyes and cry. Why had she let Dean go? Why had she let herself believe that Brad would just walk away?

When he finished she wished he had killed her instead, but when she realized that he was wearing Dean's necklace she was glad he hadn't killed her. She was going to kill him if she could ever get free.

He didn't deserve to live any longer, and they couldn't possibly fault her for it. It would be self-defense.

She tried to take some comfort in the fact that she was supposed to call Trucker when she got home. He knew how long it took her to get back to the house, and he was well aware of the trouble she'd been having with Brad. He may give her a little extra time in case she got caught up talking to someone on the way home, but as soon as he felt it had been too long he would call her mother to see if she was home yet and then he would call the police. And Brad had been stupid enough to bring her back to his own apartment, so it wouldn't take them long to find her.

But even though she knew help was probably on the way she still tried to figure out a way to free herself when Brad left her alone in the room. He didn't seem to be done with her, and it was only a matter of time until he came back. She remembered reading somewhere that if you repeatedly licked your lips you could get tape off your mouth, so that's what she did. Maybe if she could get the tape off she could at least bite him.

"You shouldn't have dumped me, Wren." Brad said as he came back in. "Girls don't dump me. I dump them. So I hooked up with someone else. It was only one time. If you had just forgiven me and gotten over it you wouldn't be in this mess right now."

It was slow going, but the tape was beginning to loosen. She didn't know what she'd do once she got it off, but at least she'd be able to scream. She kept her eyes on the stolen amulet around his neck as he talked, and whatever fear she felt was slowly replaced by anger. She could feel it building almost as if something were coming alive inside her.

"I was gonna marry you." Brad said. "Save you from your crappy life, and get myself a hot wife. But you just couldn't get over one little mistake. It sure didn't take you long to jump into bed with your bodyguard though, did it? Face it, Wren. You're nothing but a little white trash bastard slut. Your daddy ditched you, and you couldn't even keep your bodyguard around could you?"

"At least I'm not psychotic." she said when the tape finally gave out. "You're sick, Brad. You need help."

He laughed as if he were amused, and that's when she realized he had a knife in his hand. He was going to kill her.

"You should really be nice to me right now, Wren."

"Why?" she asked. Her anger was still building, but it wasn't just anger. There was something else too, but she couldn't figure out what it was. Not that it was at the top of her list of priorities right now. There were more pressing issues. "You don't deserve it."

He pressed the sharp blade of the knife against her throat. "Stop talking."

She felt the blade cut her skin. It was just a little nick, but it was enough to kick her desire to escape into overdrive and suddenly something felt like it snapped inside her. She felt a surge of strength shoot through her entire body, and Brad had time to see her eyes change before she snapped the ropes he'd used to tie her up with. He tried to drag the knife across her throat to kill her, but she shoved him away and sent him flying across the room. It wasn't until after she heard the sickening crack of his skull colliding with the corner of the dresser that she caught her reflection in the mirror hanging over the dresser. Her eyes were glowing a dull gray, and she no longer felt human.

She didn't have time to think about it because the police broke the front door of the apartment down at that moment. Her eyes went back to their normal human shade of brown, and she walked over and crouched down beside Brad's lifeless body.

"I hope you burn in Hell, you evil son of a bitch." Her voice was cold and angry as she tore Dean's necklace from around Brad's neck.

Cops flooded into the room, and whatever strength she'd had for those few moments slipped away and she fainted when she tried to stand up to explain that she had pushed Brad in self-defense, and hadn't meant to hurt him.

A police officer caught her before she hit her head and wrapped her in a blanket before removing the piece of tape that still clung to her face. The broken ropes were still tied around her wrists and ankles, and he wondered how she had managed to break free as he carried her out to the waiting ambulance.

 **Is he dead? Did she kill him? Hopefully you'll find out tomorrow with what may or may not be the conclusion of our story. I haven't decided if it needs a little more or not. If so then there's three chapters left. I think. And I'm not promising to post tomorrow, but I promise I'll try. SO I guess I'll see you when I see you. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Bye now, loves! ~SG**


	8. Chapter 7

**Everyone okay after that last chapter? Ready to see how Wren's doing, and what happened to Brad? Well, the only way to do that is to read, and since I have no other witty remarks or warnings to share with you I'll let you get to it. Enjoy! ~SG**

Chapter 7

Wren woke some time later and found herself in a hospital bed. She was wearing a thin gown, and the ropes had been removed from her wrists and ankles. She was hooked up to a monitor that she suspected was keeping track of her heartbeat and other vital signs, and there was an IV in her arm. The TV was on, and the door was closed. Her mother was pacing the room like a caged tiger, obviously worried about her, and Trucker was conked out in a chair beside her bed.

"Mama?" she called quietly, still half asleep.

Alexa immediately stopped pacing and rushed over to her daughter. "Trucker, she's awake."

Trucker roused from his sleep, and smiled at Wren as Alexa wrapped her in a hug. "How ya feeling, Angel?"

"Okay, I guess." Wren replied. "Under the circumstances. Mama, you're crushing me."

"I'm sorry, Angel Baby." Alexa said, petting Wren's hair. "I was just so worried. Are you sure you're okay?"

Wren nodded. "As far as I can tell. Where's Katie?"

"She went to go get food." Alexa said. "She should be back soon."

Wren nodded, and then asked the question she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to. "Is Brad...Did I kill him?"

Trucker and Alexa exchanged a look, and it was more than enough to tell Wren that she had indeed killed Brad.

"Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick." she said as the reality of what had happened set in. She remembered her eyes in the mirror. What was she? Other than a murderer.

"It was self-defense." Trucker reminded her. "The police need to ask you some questions, but they said it was clear what happened. No one's pressing charges, Angel."

Wren's eyes filled with tears. "But I killed him. Even if the police see it as self-defense, what about his family? Can't they press charges?"

"I don't think so. Not unless they can prove it wasn't self-defense, but there's no way they can do that. He was hurting you." Alexa said, defending Wren's actions as she wrapped her in another hug. "You defended yourself. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Dean's necklace." Wren said suddenly, panicking when she realized it was gone again, and completely forgetting about her worries that she might be charged with murder. "Where is it?"

"That doesn't matter right now, sweetheart." Alexa said.

"No." Wren said. "Brad had it. He was wearing it. I took it after...Where is it?"

Trucker took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sure the police have it. We'll get it back once this is all settled."

She was sure he was right, but they never got it back. Once she realized it wasn't coming back she went down to the station and talked to the police about it, her heart sinking when they told her that they had sent it to Brad's family thinking it had been his. She thought about driving up to Birmingham and asking for it back, but decided it would probably upset his family. She didn't want to put them through any more pain, so she gave up on getting Dean's necklace back to him and sulked around the house for a month, unable to work up the energy to do much of anything. Partly because Brad's father tried to turn the whole thing around to make it look like she was the one to blame, but thankfully the police didn't buy it. The other reason she didn't feel like doing much of anything was because of the nightmares she was having.

She woke up in the middle of the night having a panic attack almost every night after dreaming that she was some kind of glowing gray-eyed monster, but didn't have the courage to say anything about it to her mother. What if she was some kind of evil thing? If she was she probably deserved the nightmares she had where it was Dean instead of Brad that was hurting her. The events of the nightmares varied, but they all ended with her killing someone she cared about. Bashing their heads in with a rock or slamming them against a wall. More often than not it was Dean.

After a month of waking up terrified and a couple of trips to the emergency room her mother made her go to a doctor who had diagnosed her with PTSD, and she was put on medication that Alexa didn't give her a chance to turn down even though she didn't really want it. Most of the time she felt like she deserved to suffer for what she had done even if it had been in self-defense. She had still killed someone.

A handful of months and several therapy sessions later she was just starting to venture back into the world when the doorbell rang and she found a vaguely familiar woman about her mother's age standing on the porch. Wren knew she'd seen her somewhere before, but she had no idea who she was.

She was about Wren's height, but her designer heels made her a little taller, and it was fairly obvious that her emerald green blouse and expensive looking jeans hadn't come from Wal-mart. Neither had the gold and diamonds that decorated her ears, neck, wrists, and fingers. Her perfectly curled hair was a shade of caramel that Wren was pretty sure wasn't her natural color, and it had definitely been a professional job. Probably at a high class salon just like her flawless manicure. Her eyebrows were perfectly shaped, her makeup was perfectly applied, and there was a decent chance she had probably had some Botox injections thought it didn't look like she'd had any surgery. She was pretty, but she was too perfectly polished for Wren's taste, and if the look in her brown eyes was anything to go by she was too perfectly polished for her own taste too. There was something else in her eyes too. She looked a little heartbroken and a little confused, as if she wasn't sure what she was doing with her life.

Wren wondered if she was lost, in this neighborhood and in her life, and managed to find a smile for her. She hoped it didn't look too forced. "Hi. Can I help you?"

The woman smiled back, a little awkward flash. "Hi. Are you Wren Monroe?"

"Yes." Wren said. She stepped out on the porch, closing the door behind her. "I'm sorry. Do I know?"

"No." the woman said. "We've never met. I'm LoriAnn Price, Brad's mother."

Of course. She looked familiar because Wren had seen pictures of her.

"Oh." she said as she took a step back, putting some space between them. "Mrs. Price I'm not sure you should be here."

"I'm not here to cause any trouble." LoriAnn promised. "I'd like to talk to you. Can we sit?"

Wren looked at the porch swing LoriAnn was indicating. "Oh. Um, okay. Sure."

"First of all, you should know that I don't blame you for what happened." LoriAnn said as she and Wren sat in the swing. "It wasn't your fault, and I'd like to apologize. For my son and my husband."

"Oh." Wren said, thrown off guard. "Okay."

"Brad was sick, and my husband didn't make it any better by making excuses for him and bailing him out of trouble all the time." LoriAnn explained. "I've known there was something wrong with my son for years, and I begged my husband to let me get him help, but he wouldn't do it. He ignored all the signs, and he used his money, and connections, and expensive lawyers to make whatever trouble Brad got himself into disappear. He raised him to be abusive toward women. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. He treated me the same way, and no matter what I did I never could get through to either of them."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Wren asked.

"Because you need to understand that it wasn't your fault." LoriAnn said. "This isn't the first time Brad's done something like this. When he was in high school he assaulted a girl, and my husband paid the family off to keep it quiet because he didn't want any scandals to tarnish the perfect family name. To be honest, part of me is glad you did what you did, and I want to thank you."

"For...killing your son?"

"No." LoriAnn said. "He's my son, and I could never truly say I'm actually glad that he'd dead, but I am glad that he can't hurt anyone anymore. It's probably better that it happened the way it did though because if he had simply been arrested my husband would have thrown more money around and got him off, and you'd probably be the one in trouble. And that isn't right. But it's more than the fact that you stopped him from being able to hurt anyone else. You stood up for yourself, and you fought back. You protected yourself. What you did gave me the courage to file for divorce and move out. My husband is a terrible man, and I've wanted to leave him for years. I've just been too afraid of what he might do if I did, but I've finally realized that I can't stay there anymore. No matter how afraid I might be."

"And that's because of me?"

LoriAnn nodded. "Yes."

"Wow." Wren said. "Well...then...I guess you're welcome."

LoriAnn smiled at her. "That's not the only reason I came here."

Wren couldn't imagine what else LoriAnn had to say as she watched the woman dig in her designer purse and pull out a Ziploc bag.

"This was in the bag of things the police gave us after..." LoriAnn trailed off, and started over. "I guess they thought it was Brad's, but it doesn't look like something he would've worn. They said you had it in your hand when they found you. I thought maybe it was yours."

Wren's gasp was audible when she took the bag and saw what was inside. It was Dean's necklace, and she almost started crying when she realized what LoriAnn Price had just given her. "No. It's not mine, but I do know who it belongs to. I'll make sure they get it back. Thank you."

LoriAnn smiled. She could see that the necklace was something important, and she could guess that the owner was even more important. She was glad she had decided to do this. "You're welcome." She reached over and place a gentle hand on Wren's arm. "Wren, I am _so_ sorry that you had to go through that, but I'm glad you're okay. And if there's ever anything I can do for you or your family please let me know."

Wren took the slip of paper LoriAnn handed her and found a phone number on it. "Thank you."

LoriAnn got up, and Wren politely walked her to her expensive car.

"I know the circumstances aren't exactly the best, but I'm glad I came out here." LoriAnn said as she opened the driver's side door, and smiled at Wren. "It was nice to meet you, Wren."

"You too." Wren said even though she wasn't really sure how she felt about it. "Good luck with your divorce."

"I'll probably need it." LoriAnn admitted.

Wren watched as LoriAnn drove away, and it occurred to her that she probably had a lot in common with her mother. They were about the same age, so LoriAnn must have had Brad as a teenager. Wren couldn't help but wonder what the whole story was, but it wasn't any of her business.

When the car was out of sight she went back inside and walked into the kitchen. She took Dean's necklace out of the bag, and slipped it over her head. She remembered yanking it from Brad's neck, but it wasn't broken. LoriAnn must have fixed it.

She grabbed the phone from its cradle on the kitchen wall and held it with her shoulder as she dialed, her other hand wrapping around the amulet as she waited for an answer.

There was something special about this necklace aside from the sentimental value it held for Dean. She didn't know what it was, but she could feel it as she held it in her hand.

"Hello?" a familiar voice said. He sounded sleepy.

Wren smiled. "Hey. It's Wren. Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah." he admitted. "But I don't mind. Everything okay?"

"I found your necklace." she said. "Someone turned it in at the bar. Do you wanna come get it, or do you want me to mail it to you?"

"And miss a chance to see you?" he replied. "I don't think so. How's this weekend?"

"Fine." She didn't invite him to stay, though she knew he probably would. She didn't want him to, but it would be rude to ask him to leave.

"Great." Dean said. "I'll see you Saturday."

And she would probably have to be around him until Monday morning. She didn't want him to know the truth because it would upset him, and it was too hard for her to even think about. She knew the longer he stayed the harder it would be to make him believe that everything was okay, but she didn't think asking him to leave without an explanation would go over so well either. At least he would only stay for the weekend. He would offer, but she wouldn't ask him to stay longer. She would let him go again because she had to. She didn't want to hurt him.

 **Let's see. Where are we now? Wren's afraid of herself, and doesn't know how to politely tell Dean that she doesn't want him anywhere near her without telling him the truth. Brad's dead (yay!), and his dad's just as bad, but isn't his mom sweet? Good for LoriAnn for finally deciding to get away from her crappy hubby. And yes, I say yay to Brad's death. I don't usually hate my characters, but how can anyone like that rotten little weasel? I honestly didn't like him as a person or a character, but he was necessary to the story, and I think we all know where he ended up. And now I have a question for you. How do we feel about LoriAnn? I really like her, and would like to bring her back at some point if I can find the right way to do it. Would y'all like to see her again? I actually think she and our little Angel Baby could have a great relationship. What do y'all think? ~SG**

 **P.S. I think I said in the last chapter's AN that this would be the last chapter. I was mistaken. There's at least one more. Possibly three more (or more) depending on how I decide I feel about the ending of chapter 8. Not that any of that's a huge deal, but I wanted y'all to know that this particular story's not quite over yet.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Be careful, Dean. There's a storm brewing in New Orleans. Yep. My only warning for today is for Dean. You guys should be good. I mean, you may have some feels, but hopefully this isn't enough to make anyone completely fall apart unless you're just a really emotional person. And in that case feel free to completely fall apart. Here. Have some tissues and a hug to help get you through. ~SG**

Chapter 8

Dean realized something was wrong as soon as he arrived. For the most part Wren sounded like her usual perky self, but there was something about the way she was acting that made it feel like she was actually acting. When he had hugged her when he got out of the car she had barely hugged him back, and she had been stiff as if the idea of pressing against him in even the most platonic way bothered her. Then she put him in the guest room, which wasn't that big a deal. He hadn't exactly expected to be invited to share her room again, but the fact that she made a comment about her mom being there alerted him to something being off. Alexa had been there for a majority of his stay last time, and he had spent every night not only in Wren's room, but in her bed. Alexa had been aware of that, and hadn't had a problem with it. He knew because he'd asked her about it. So why was Wren acting like it would bother her now? And why did she flinch whenever he tried to touch her? Why did she shy away every time he tried to put his arm around her, or even come within a few feet of her?

All of that told him very clearly that something was wrong, but it was the look in her eyes that bothered him the most. She looked broken and afraid, and that just was not Wren. At least not the Wren he knew.

So after two days of out of character behavior he finally decided to ask her about it, and knocked on her bedroom door after she had gone to bed. The light was still on, so he was pretty sure she was still awake.

"Hey." he said when she opened the door. "Can we talk?"

She wouldn't even let him into the room. Instead she came out into the hallway and closed the door behind her.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked after following her out to the porch and sitting beside her on the swing. She was at one end, he was at the other. "Are you mad at me or something?"

She shook her head. "No. You didn't do anything wrong, and I'm not mad at you."

"So what's going on? You're not acting like yourself." She was looking anywhere but at him, which she had been doing all weekend, and Dean wanted to fix whatever was wrong. But first she had to tell him what it was. "Is it Brad? Is he causing trouble again? Because I can stay if you need me to."

"No." She said, shaking her head again. "You don't need to stay, Dean. Brad won't be causing any trouble for anyone anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you don't need to protect me anymore." she snapped. "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can take care of yourself, Wren, but if there's something I can help with let me."

"You can't help me, Dean!" she exclaimed as she jumped up. "I don't need any help! I'm sorry if I'm not the same person you remember, but things happen. People change. I don't need to be fixed."

"I don't want to fix you, Wren." he argued, worried about her sudden temper. Last time he'd been here she had been fun-loving and happy. Now she was like a ticking time-bomb just waiting to go off, and apparently he had just run out of time. "But you're hurting, and you're scared. I can see it in your eyes. I just want to help. I care about you, Wren."

She had backed away from him, and Dean got up and walked over to her, trying to pull her into a hug in an attempt to comfort her and help her calm down, but she only pushed him away.

"Don't touch me." she commanded, tears filling her eyes as she moved away from him again. She didn't want to hurt him. "And while you're at it, maybe you should stop caring about me so much. It'll make it easier for both of us when you leave."

Dean felt like she had just slapped him in the face. Hard. He didn't know how to respond so he just stood there on the porch and watched her go back inside, slamming the door as she did. Something was seriously wrong, and he got the distinct impression that her mention of him leaving wasn't just about tomorrow morning. She said it like she expected him to abandon her, and he didn't know how to react to that. He didn't have any plans to abandon her. In fact, he was willing to abandon his family if she asked him to. He was willing to stay for her. He _wanted_ to stay for her. Especially now that she was so upset about whatever had happened since he'd been gone. He desperately wanted to help her, but she clearly didn't want his help.

She was making it perfectly clear that she no longer wanted him there even though she claimed that she wasn't mad at him, and he had no idea what had caused this unexpected personality shift. She had sounded normal when she had called him a few days ago.

Alexa seemed to be aware of what was going on, and he thought about asking her, but he didn't think she would tell him since Wren obviously didn't want him to know. And it would only piss Wren off if he went behind her back and talked to her mother. He thought about leaving early since he didn't feel extremely welcomed right now, but that would only back up her crazy idea that he was going to abandon her, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Whatever was going on he needed to make it right before he left. Even if he had to stay longer than he'd planned and never got any actual answers out of her. In all honestly he didn't care if he got any actual answers. He only cared that they parted on good terms, and that wasn't going to happen if he left now while she was still upset. So instead of going back to the guest room and packing his things to leave he knocked on her door again, hoping to get her in a better mood before she went to bed.

"Leave me alone, Dean." she called through the door.

"Wren, don't go to bed angry at me." he begged. "Please?"

The door opened and she looked up at him with several different emotions shining in her eyes. Love, confusion, fear. There was a lot going on inside his girl, and he wished she would let him in so he could help. Even if he couldn't do anything to fix what was broken. He could still hold her hand and help her get through it if she would only let him.

"I'm not angry at you, Dean."

"Then why were you yelling at me just now?" he asked gently, fighting the urge to reach out and brush the hair away from her face. He didn't want to risk having his hand slapped away.

"Because..." she stopped and the tears spilled down her face like someone had turned on a faucet. "I care about you, and I don't want to hurt you."

He reached out for her automatically, but she stepped back so he dropped his arms back to his sides. He wanted to comfort her so badly, but she wouldn't let him. "Seeing you like this and not being able to help hurts me. I don't like seeing you hurting, Wren. Please talk to me. Tell me what's going on."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter."

"I don't want to talk about it, Dean." she said, sounding tired and worn out. She looked tired and worn out too as she leaned against the door jam. "I can't. I'm sorry. I just...I don't think you should be around me anymore, and you're just gonna have to accept that because I can't explain why. Okay?"

He was quiet for a moment while he considered what she had just said. He didn't see any sense in arguing with her anymore, so he gave up trying to get her to talk. "Okay. I'll give you some space if that's what you want, but I won't abandon you. Ever. If you ever need me, or decide you wanna talk I'm just a phone call away."

"Thanks." she said, her lips curving into a faint smile as her tears stopped. "You should probably get some sleep. You're leaving in a few hours, and I don't want your dad coming down here and yelling at me for keeping you up all night when you fall asleep at the wheel and drive into a ditch."

Dean chuckled. "See? There's my girl. You should get some sleep too. You've gotta be up in a few hours too."

"I do?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Yeah. I don't wanna leave without saying goodbye." he said, and flashed her a small teasing smile. "Even if you won't let me hug you."

He turned to go back to the guest room so he could try to get some sleep, but she reached out and grabbed his arm. "Wait."

"What is it?" he asked. He turning back to her, surprised that she was touching him as her hand slid from his wrist to hold his hand. He was even more surprised when she stepped forward and hugged him, but he smiled and hugged her back, happy to stand there and hold her as long as she wanted him to. When she pulled away he leaned down and kissed her forehead before she could dodge, and smiled when she did. "Goodnight Wren."

"Goodnight Dean."

%%%

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch this weekend." She said the next morning as Dean was tossing his bags in the Impala, and getting ready to leave. She didn't want him to go, but she didn't want him to stay either.

"You weren't a bitch,Wren." He assured her. "You just weren't quite you. At least not the you I know."

"I'm just going through some stuff." Her gaze left his face and settled on the ground between them.

"I noticed."

"Maybe your next visit will be better."

"Then you do want me to come back?" he asked.

She nodded, looking back up at him. "Yeah. When you get a chance. If you want to. Just not too soon, okay? It's not that I don't want to see you. I just..."

"Don't wanna hurt me."

"Yeah." She flicked her hair back and shrugged, slipping her hands into her back pockets. "I just need some time to work through some things. And I appreciate that you want to help. There's just nothing you can do. Whatever needs to be fixed, I have to fix it on my own."

"Okay." he said. "Well, if you change your mind you've got my number."

"Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being such an amazing friend." She smiled at him. "And for being so understanding about this."

"No problem." he grinned. "Thanks for getting my necklace back."

"You're welcome." She turned the bracelet on her wrist, happy to finally have it back.

"Is there any chance I can get a goodbye hug?" he asked. "Or am I pushing my luck?"

Wren smiled again and stepped into his arms, wrapping her own around him and hugging him tight. She felt safe and loved in his arms, and she almost asked him to stay, but then she remembered the nightmares and her glowing eyes. He wasn't safe with her.

Tears were stinging her eyes as she stepped back. "Goodbye Dean."

"See ya around, Chevy."

She couldn't help but smile as he slid behind the wheel, shut the door, and drove away with one last little wave. She could never tell him the truth about what had happened, but maybe she would be able to handle it better the next time she saw him. And despite her nightmares and her fear of hurting him she did want him to come back. She loved him, and even though she didn't think he would ever really stay she would still like to see him every now and then if possible. He was too important to her to let him go completely, and maybe if he wasn't around too much it would be easier to keep from hurting him.

 **Everyone still in one piece? Yeah? Good. I'm glad no one fell apart. Except maybe Wren. I think that could be considered falling apart. At least a little. But at least she had Dean to help put the pieces back together again. How cute are they? And did anyone else notice that he's started thinking of her as his girl? Sorry Cassie. You just thought you were his first love. Actually, maybe I should just rearrange things and swap Cassie out with Wren. I mean, Dean's clearly in love with his girl even if he doesn't realize it yet, and she does live in New Orleans. I'm sure we can find a ghost or two. And if something starts killing off her family members of course she's gonna call Dean whether she knows what he does or not. Hmm. Yeah. I may have to do this. I mean, I love Cassie and all, but Wrenchester. What do y'all think? ~SG**


End file.
